Trapped
by sonicfan1990
Summary: After his adventures in the Lost Hex, Sonic finds some down time and uses it to satisfy his lust for speed. However, his holiday comes to an end when he receives a distress signal from Tails in Mystic Ruins. Turns out Tails has been kidnapped by an old foe, and Sonic has to save his best friend before it's too late. Rated T for safety only (The final chapter is up already, enjoy).
1. Chapter 1

**Well, since I have nothing else better to do, I decided to cook up something new. **

**I know I still have "Sonic and he Lords of Pandemonium" up and running, but I just couldn't help myself. I'm already done with that story's draft and all I need to do is some editing, then it's really complete (about 15+ chapters until the end). That's why I came up with this one to while away the time (about 2 hours really). It's a little short, only 3 or 4 chapters in total. However, I did do my best, even if I was just fooling around, but I'll let you be my critics.**

**Here it is, my latest story, with two chapters at the same time as a bonus for everyone who liked my stories. Enjoy and don't forget to review. :)**

**P/S: This story is different from the ones I usually do, so if it's bad, please be blunt and say so. Thank you. **

* * *

Welcome to the dark side…

It was a peaceful day after Sonic and Tails had successfully saved the entire planet, yet again, from certain destruction from the hands of the Deadly Six and Eggman. After their little adventures and misadventures on the Lost Hex, the two brothers managed to reconcile and fix their friendship. Everything seemed to have returned to normal with everyone minding their own business until something came up again.

For relaxation after another mission accomplished, Sonic treated himself to another around-the-world-in-80-minutes marathon, visiting new places and landscapes to satisfy his lust for speed and also his desire for natural beauty. Needless to say, it was the best feeling in the world for the blue blur to be free. He could feel the wind brushing against his quills as he ran, smell the collective scents of various flowers blooming in the numerous places he passed, and enjoy the clear, unpolluted air under the bright sun. Nothing could be more perfect than that.

"Man, this is LIVING!" he shouted at the top of his lungs as he picked up the pace even more and practically turned invisible in the eyes of the beholders. Everywhere he ran past, the hedgehog left a trail of wind behind, which could easily blow people away if they stood too close.

In short, it was a holy holiday for the world-renowned hero after all the troubles he and his best friend Tails had gone through, to run as far and as fast as he desired, with no Eggman and his robots or super-powered gods or monsters or ancient race or extraterrestrial invaders to hinder him. Sonic was living his dream after a long, long time.

Sadly, good times were not meant to last, and Sonic's excursion came to an abrupt end sixty minutes later when he received a distress signal from his buddy Tails from the Mystic Ruins.

"What in the…Tails?" he muttered in concern as he skidded to a complete stop.

Immediately opening his wristwatch communicator, Sonic's eyes widened to the size of saucers when he saw the image of his genius best friend sitting at his favorite chair in the lab, all tied up and gagged. His sapphire eyes were moist as he stared helplessly at the screen and directly at Sonic, silently pleading for the hedgehog's help. The sight of his friend in danger alone was more than enough to make Sonic scared. As he was about to say something, a voice stopped him.

"Like what you see, Sonic?"

Sonic's fear was greatly intensified when a red and stocky individual walked toward Tails and stood next to the captured fox. The hedgehog's eyes widened in horror as a very familiar being he thought he had defeated already now came into full view.

"ZAVOK?" he shouted in surprise and terror as the leader of the Zeti shot him with a malicious smirk from the other side. "H-how…" was all the usually chatty hero could manage.

"Hello there, Sonic. It's a pleasure to see you as well," Zavok said as he put his giant hands on Tails' shoulders, making him tense up and struggle against his bindings, but his efforts were all for naught.

"Don't you dare touch a single hair on his head, you monster," Sonic yelled into his screen helplessly, fearing for Tails' safety. That Zeti had almost turned Tails into a robot once, who knew what he would do to him this time.

"Now, now, there is no need for you to yell, Sonic, I can hear you, or should I say _**we**_ can hear you…loud and clear" Zavok said calmly as he stroke Tails' head, playing with the three bangs teasingly and causing the fox to let out muffled whimpers in protest. Those actions only made Sonic angrier.

"Stop that at once, or else…"

"Big talk for a little hedgehog who can't even be there for his all so precious little friend" the Zeti taunted as he cupped his hands around Tails' cheek, forcing him to look directly at the screen. The fox's moist and pleading eyes tore away at Sonic's heart, making him wince like he had been physically stabbed by a broad sword. The pain of seeing his best friend helpless at the mercy of a genocidal maniac and unable to do anything only helped to fuel the normally cool-headed hero's anger.

"Just get away from him and spit out what it is that you want from me" Sonic deadpanned, glaring intensely at the being on the screen with the flames of hate burning in his eyes.

"Oh nothing too grand, Sonic. If you wish for your friend's safety, then come here and face me. This time, I will take extra care to have you slain and have my ultimate revenge."

"Your grudge is for me and me alone, leave Tails out of this. He doesn't deserve this treatment."

"Oh, I think that with the safety of your little friend hanging on the balance, you will be more…properly motivated to go all out in battle. Ah yes, I forgot to mention that I've managed to successfully develop a microchip, which I will implant in Tails' brain shortly afterward. After that really painful process, and I mean excruciatingly painful indeed, he will be completely vulnerable to my manipulation of electromagnetic field and under my complete control, just like all the electronics and machines out there" the Zeti then began to laugh maniacally.

On the other hand, Tails looked like he was about to cry from fear, shaking and jerking around in hope of loosening his bindings. However, he only struggled in vain. Sonic watched his bound brother with helplessness in his eyes, fearing for his life and safety. He always feared this day, the day when one of his personal enemies would take advantage of his friends to get to him, but he never thought that Tails would be the first to be made example.

That fear, however didn't last long, for it was later replaced by anger and hate for Zavok. Once again, the blue blur shot him a stern glare.

"I will end you, Zavok," Sonic stated, his voice dangerously low. It was neither a meaningless threat nor a bluff, it was a statement, a promise, whose message was as clear as a sunny day, and meaning as dark as the moonless night. However, that statement only made Zavok laugh harder, his voice sounding through the lab and assaulting Tails' sensitive ears, making them fall flat on his head.

"I'm looking forward to it, Sonic the hedgehog. If you can manage that feat, I will give you back your friend, safe and sound without a single scratch on his body. On the contrary, should you lose…Well, let's just say that little Tails' fate will not be pretty," Zavok replied.

With that, the powerful Zeti turned around and dragged Tails, who was crying freely at this point, away. After that, the screen went black, only the sound of static remained.

…

Sonic stared at the static in silence, lost in his own thoughts, most of them dark and dangerous. He clenched his hands into fist so tightly that his blood stained his white gloves, but he paid it no mind. Looking up from the screen, his emerald eyes darkened, clouded by anger for the monster that dared to hurt his friend.

"Tails…I will make you pay dearly for this atrocity, Zavok. That I swear" Sonic mumbled as he immediately took off, making a beeline for Tails' house in the Mystic Ruins, more than ready to wholly annihilate the bulky Zeti in battle.

…

Due to the close distance, Sonic arrived at the Mystic Ruins a few minutes later. During his run, the hedgehog couldn't stop worrying about his friend's safety. It was understandable, for Tails was his first real friend, his most amazing, dedicated and loyal supporter, his trusty guide and mechanic, and most importantly, his family. Though they did not share the bond determined by bloodline, they shared a bond forged by time, hardships and trials, a bond that had more than once helped them defy all odds and prevail against their adversaries, and that sacred bond was more powerful and sturdy than anything in the universe.

When Sonic arrived at his and Tails' house, he was shocked by the place he had come to know as 'home'. It was no longer the familiar and funny shape similar to Tails' head; instead, it was a dark and red fortress. The mecha dragon that Zavok used in their battles was waiting for him at the front gate, much to his annoyance. Sonic, at first glance, knew that there was no way he could get past it without a fight.

"Alright then, if you want a dismantling job, come and get it, you oversized worm," Sonic shouted and charged at the mechanical beast at top speed.

The dragon, in return, let out a mighty roar and lunged at its prey. It slithered around Sonic and cornered him with his long, electrically-charged body. However, the speedy hedgehog managed to jump over it and escaped the creature's hold.

Without warning, the robot whipped its head around and released a spreadshot of fireballs from its mouth at Sonic. Luckily, the hedgehog managed to evade the projectiles without sustaining any damage. In one quick motion, Sonic ran behind the dragon's tail and hit it repeatedly with his Homing Attack, making the beast stun, temporarily powering down.

Seizing that chance, the blue blur used his Homing Attack on the various orbs on the dragon's form and reached its head. Upon arrival, the hedgehog unleashed an extraordinarily powerful Homing Attack on top of the beast's head, causing it to awaken and cry in pain. Thanks to his attack, Sonic was able to crack the robot's head, but it wasn't enough to take him down.

"Tch, pesky robot, I don't have time for this."

While the dragon was thrashing around, trying to shake Sonic off, the hedgehog simply tightened his hold and stay there, trying to come up a way to end this senseless battle. After a while of thrashing and jerking, the Mech Dragon attempted to use its tail to knock Sonic off, an act that would soon prove to be its undoing.

A split second before the tail reached him, Sonic leaped into the air, directly above the menace. In an instant, the hedgehog dived down and stomped on the robot's tail, causing the giant orb to slam onto its head with a mighty force, which was enough to split the dragon's head open, revealing its electronic brain.

In its suffering, the Mech Dragon failed to notice Sonic's subsequent strike, which was another Homing attack, only this time, the speedster aimed directly at its now exposed brain. Needless to say, the attack was spot-on, and Sonic dealt a critical damage on his enemy. Upon collision, the dragon was pushed back a few yards, its brain completely smashed. After a few seconds, the giant menace shut down completely and fell limply on the ground. Without its brain, the dragon was nothing more than a useless piece of scrap metal that could only serve as a big waste of space.

"Now that takes care of that," Sonic muttered as he turned around and headed toward the entrance to the newly constructed fortress. "Now to take down the one that dared to make my brother suffer," Sonic added, his eyes became slits before he practically tore down the sturdy-looking gate with his Spin Dash attack.

Not wasting another precious second of Tails' life, Sonic dashed forward at top speed. His run went without interruption, for there was nothing inside the fortress save for a few automatic guns, which he quickly disposed of without complication.

"_Looks like Zavok wasn't able to gather the other Zetis and troops in time,"_ Sonic thought to himself as he dodged a cannonball and went on to dismantling the cannon brutally. "_Well, good for me."_

With that, Sonic continued his run, until he spotted an elevator that seemed to lead all the way up to the top of the lair. Seeing no other way around, Sonic promptly walked inside the contraption and headed to the highest floor, expecting the menacing Zavok to be there.

"I will save you without fail, Tails. Just wait for me, little buddy. I promise I will save you, even if it costs me my own life…" Sonic mumbled and clenched his hands tightly, causing more blood to flow out from the open self-inflicted wound and further stained his gloves. Like last time, however, he didn't care. The only thought in his mind right now was the safety of his friend with whom he shared a brotherly bond, other than that, nothing else mattered.


	2. Chapter 2

…and enjoy your eternal stay

The elevator finally reached its destination shortly afterward. Without waiting for the door to open, Sonic tore it down with his trademark Spin Dash attack and ran along the new path at top speed. He didn't care what he would destroy along the way, he would gladly do it if it meant getting closer to saving his precious friend and comrade.

"Tails, I'm coming, please…please be safe…" Sonic muttered.

The corridor was long and filled with automatic guns on walls, which instantly opened fire the moment their sensors picked Sonic's heat signature. The hedgehog, having grown tired and annoyed at the objects, leaped into the air, making the guns take care of themselves without having to lift a finger.

"_I don't have time for this…"_ he thought bitterly and sped up even more, breaking the sound barrier and destroying the rest of the cannons in his wake.

…

After a while of running around in search of Zavok's room, the blue blur finally arrived at a suspicious-looking gate. Having no time to waste on manners, the hedgehog once again tore the sturdy obstruction down with a powerful strike and quickly headed inside. When he looked up ahead, Sonic saw the bulky leader of the Zeti standing still in the middle of a large, round arena with his hands crossed, seemingly expecting him to show up.

"ZAVOK!" Sonic yelled at the top of his lungs, his fierce voice echoing throughout the entire chamber. "Where is Tails? If you hurt a single strand of his hair, I will personally see to it that today becomes your funeral."

"Oh, I'm so scared," Zavok replied in a playfully dull tone, "please spare poor little me, master Sonic."

"I don't have time for this, where is Tails? Where have you taken my brother, monster? Answer me!"

"Not so far away, I can assure you, Sonic. Just beyond this room," the powerful Zeti then pointed his finger at the steel door behind him and smirked. "But to get to your "brother", you have to get through me first."

"Then I will," Sonic retorted, having discarded his usual cheerful demeanor and adopted a spiteful personality. Tails' life was on the life, and that was a risk Sonic wasn't willing to take. "You will get out of my way, Zavok, one way or another."

Zavok said nothing in return. Instead, he put one foot behind him and entered his battle stance. The Zeti let out a mighty battle cry that shook the entire fortress and gestured for Sonic to enter the arena. Without a second of hesitation, the blue blur did just that. The two enemies started at each other for a short while before lunging at one another at top speed.

…

Zavok's speed was incredible, but it paled in comparison to Sonic's legendry speed. Coupled with the hedgehog's dexterity and agility, Sonic easily evaded the Zeti's thunderous punches and jabs. When he saw an opening on the alien's side, he immediately seized the chance and hit Zavok with a series of powerful Homing Attack.

The first strike was able to make the strong alien lose balance slightly, while the subsequent one knocked him off his feet. The third Homing Attack knocked the bulky alien down on the ground and the final strike landed on his abdomen with a mighty force, strong enough to tear through steel. Strong though he was, Zavok was lying on his back after a series of vicious attacks from the blue blur.

"This ends now, Zavok," Sonic shouted, his eyes burning with anger as he attempted to drop down on his fallen opponent with another strike. However, Zavok anticipated that and quickly pushed himself up from the ground, dodging the hedgehog's fatal attack in the nick of time.

"I've been waiting for this day to come, I'm not about to lose to you again, pesky hedgehog," Zavok shouted and shot multiple fireballs from his mouth.

Using his speed, Sonic quickly leaped back and began to run around the arena, dodging all incoming projectiles. Though he was grazed by the rocks thrown around by the explosions, he didn't care. His only thought was about defeating Zavok an rescuing Tails from this nightmare.

"You can't defeat me by running around, Sonic," Zavok said as he took a high jump and raised his hands in the air. The mighty Zeti came down a moment later, slamming both fists on the ground and causing a major earthquake that made Sonic lose his footing.

Before the blue blur could recover, the leader of the Deadly Six stomped him on the chest and slowly applied more force as time passed. Sonic tried to resist it, but just as he was able to outperform Zavok in speed, the Zeti easily outdo him in strength. The trapped hedgehog tried everything, but he couldn't get away from his opponent's hold, many times, he let out soft whimpers when the giant foot pressed down, making it difficult to breathe.

Zavok, on the other hand, enjoyed dishing out pain and getting his revenge on his enemy.

"Yes, that's right, Sonic. Squirm like the worm you are under me. I will slowly break you and make you beg for mercy, or make you wish you had never been born…whichever comes first, or maybe both."

The vicious alien then applied more force, making the entire ground beneath Sonic crack. The weight of Zavok's foot was cutting off his air supply, and he was getting dizzy, but still, Sonic refused to give up.

"Must…save…Tails…" his mind protested, urging him to find a way to escape.

After a while, Zavok bent over, his face dangerously close to Sonic's, and looked at the trapped hero directly in the eyes. Even when all hope seemed lost, those emerald orbs still shone brightly with the hero's hatred for the brute Zeti.

"Oh, let's see how long it takes until I finally wipe that scowl off your face, Sonic," Zavok taunted and applied even more pressure Sonic's chest, almost causing him to black out.

"It is only a matter of time before you finally die and your precious brother joins my side. With his genius mechanical skills, he will undoubtedly be useful in his servitude to the Zeti. He will help us conquer the world and reign supreme."

Sonic, even in his predicament, was horrified when he heard this revelation. His kind-hearted, compassionate and loving brother being used as a servant to create weapons…Inconceivable, unthinkable, despicable. Truly and utterly despicable! Tails loved everything in life; he was always kind, fair and gentle in his dealings with others around him, always ready to come up with new inventions to help ease Sonic's quest against evil. To forcibly strip him of his free will and turn him into a creator of weapons capable of mass destruction was criminal, inhumane. Even though he was under the influence of mind control, the knowledge of his inventions being used for murder and genocidal purposes would surely rip the fox's soul apart. He was too kind to commit crimes of such degree, and seeing them would only tear his innocent heart to pieces.

"No…No way…I'll ever let you take Tails…" Sonic muttered breathlessly and clenched his fist tightly. He shot a glare at Zavok and looked into his eyes. "I will not allow you…to defile Tails…like that…"

"What can you do, Sonic? The only thing you can do right now is talk back at me," Zavok snarled and lowered his head even more. "I've had enough, it's time I finished you once and for all."

"Not if I have anything to…say..about that," Sonic said and swung his hand in front of the Zeti's face, throwing sand and dirt into his eyes. Desperate times call for desperate pleasure. For Tails, the blue blur would go to any lengths, even throw away his own pride in the process.

…

With the sand in his eyes, Zavok lost balance and took a step backward, releasing Sonic as a result. Capitalizing that opportunity and ignoring his throbbing chest, the hedgehog launched himself at the dazed Zeti and knocked him down with a powerful Homing Attack. When Zavok groggily stood up, Sonic hit again with another Spin Dash, sending him flying toward the center of the arena.

"I will never let you turn my family into something that he is not, Zavok," Sonic grunted, both in pain and in anger. "Time to wrap this up."

After that, the blue blur began to run around Zavok at top speed, creating a blue whirlwind surrounding the Zeti. Due to his dizziness after receiving Sonic's vicious and consecutive strikes, Zavok wasn't able to process what was going on.

The tornado created by Sonic got bigger and bigger, until it was strong enough to lift the mighty and heavy Zavok up. Hovering in the air, the powerful Zeti couldn't find anything to hold onto. Out of the blue, Sonic appeared directly above him, much to his shock.

"You're finished, Zavok. Take this!" Sonic instantly curled up and unleashed a Homing Attack augmented by his Sonic Boost toward the hovering alien. Inside the blue whirlwind, Zavok was completely vulnerable to the hedgehog's attack, and was hit squarely on the chest when Sonic's form crashed down.

The attack was powerful enough to knock the air out of the alien's lungs and sent him pummeling to the ground. His giant frame landed on the floor with a thunderous bang, smashing the entire arena to bits.

Landing clumsily on his feet a few feet away, Sonic dropped to one knee and panted heavily, finding it increasingly difficult to breathe.

"Not yet…Must…find Tails…" he muttered and groggily walked toward the steel gate.

"Impossible…How could I lose to you again?" came the sudden voice of the Zeti across the arena, prompting Sonic to turn his head to that direction. To his annoyance, he saw Zavok wobbly get up and sit on his knees.

"Why is it that you always managed to defeat me?" he questioned Sonic breathlessly.

"I don't have time for this…I must rescue…Tails…" said Sonic, ignoring the conscious Zeti and his throbbing chest.

All of the sudden, a devilish smirk crossed Zavok's face and he let out a maniacal laugh, shocking and scaring Sonic. It wasn't that the blue blur was afraid of the alien's voice. No. Sonic was afraid that something bad had happened to Tails during his search. If something bad were to befall his innocent and loving brother, Sonic could never forgive himself. However, in his head, he tried to tell himself that Tails was fine, he was beyond that door, he was safe. That being said, Sonic still needed to ascertain.

"What…is so funny?" he asked with a frown, shooting another glare at Zavok, who was still laughing like he had finally lost the last shred of sanity.

"Oh nothing," the ancient alien replied gleefully, "I will release my captive as promised,"

* * *

With a click of his fingers, the steel gate opened on its own. Sonic narrowed his eyes and waited expectantly, hoping that his friend was unharmed. After a while, he could make out the familiar outline of his brother inside the darkened room. At that moment, Sonic's heart swelled with joy, and that joy was intensified by a hundred times when the figure stepped outside, revealing Tails, perfectly unharmed without a scratch on him. The fox kept his head bowed, so Sonic couldn't see his bright sapphire eyes, but that didn't matter much at the moment. His friend was safe, and that was all he needed to know.

"Tails…TAILS!" he shouted with utmost joy and immediately ran toward his best friend. In an instant, he threw his hands around the fox and pulled him into a warm embrace. It required all of Sonic's willpower not to let his tears flow.

"Tails…You're safe…You're safe now, I've got you..." Sonic choked on his words, overcome by his whirlpool of emotions, both relieved that Tails was fine and angry that his gentle friend had to endure that rough treatment from Zavok.

Speaking of the alien, he was still kneeling where he was, holding his wounded chest and laboring himself to breathe. Despite the pain, he still had that devious smirk on his face, a smirk that didn't go unnoticed by Sonic, but the hedgehog couldn't interpret its meaning.

"Congratulations, Sonic," Zavok began, "You have finally won your trophy back."

"Shut up, you monster, Tails is not a trophy…He is my friend and brother" Sonic retorted, making the grin on Zavok's face grow wider.

"Whatever you say, Sonic."

"Come on buddy, let's get out of here," Sonic broke the embrace and pulled on Tails' hand. To his surprise and confusion, Tails remained where he was, his head downcast and his body limb. At that instant, joy was replaced by shock, and later by fear, fear that something had befallen his friend. But how could that be, there was no wound on his body, he was perfectly unscathed, so what could it be.

Suddenly, it hit Sonic. Memories of the conversation between him and Zavok repeated itself like a broken record in his head. Most of the content was blurry and incoherent, but one word was clear, "microchip", that dreadful word kept replaying itself.

Sonic hesitantly and fearfully reached his hand forward and stroked the soft hair on Tails' head. Everything was as it should be, smooth, fluffy until his eyes fell on some stitches. Sonic, at the realization of what had happened, widened his eyes in horror. He lost all control of his body and trembled like he was standing naked in the middle of the South Pole. His mid almost shut down, and he lost all awareness of his surroundings. The only thing he could see was those stitches, those nasty stitches that told him of the pain Tails had endured, and the pain that he would be forced to bear later in life.

"No…" was all Sonic could mutter. A second later, his attention was attracted by a maniacal laugh across the arena. Turning to the source, Sonic saw Zavok sitting on the ground and laughing triumphantly.

"You…" the hedgehog said accusingly and shot a murderous glare at the Zeti.

"I promised I would release him without a single scratch on his BODY, Sonic. Nothing was ever said about his head or his brain," Zavok said and returned to laughing a second later, leaving Sonic broken-hearted and despaired. He didn't know anything about technology, so how could he save his buddy? The only one he knew who was skilled enough to fix Tails that was Eggman, but he had disappeared without a trace after his latest setback, so there was nobody who could help him.

At that moment, Tails lifted his head up and stared at Sonic directly in the eyes. That cold and icy stare petrified Sonic instantly. Gone were the sparkles of life and intelligence that were always present within the fox's sapphire orbs, the sparkles that shone ever so brightly like the brightest of stars in the universe. In the place of those orbs now were two blank eyes, completely void of all emotions and feelings.

The way those eyes stared at Sonic made him release the tears he had been holding back, letting them flow freely down his cheeks in defeat and despair. To Sonic, those blank eyes and that cold gaze Tails was giving him were an accusation. "Why didn't you come to save me?" they seemed to be yelling, an accusation directed at Sonic that to him was he truth, the undisputed and harsh truth. Even with all of his speed and power, he failed to save the one whom he called his brother in his time of need.

Sonic, the fastest thing alive, was too slow to save his family.

"Tails…I'm…sorry, Tails. I…I've failed you as a friend…a brother…" he muttered.

Everything crashed down around Sonic as he limped and kneeled down, his eyes fixed on the ground. In his moment of despair and sadness, he even failed to notice the sound of Zavok approaching him. The Zeti put his hand on Tails' shoulder and whispered something into his ear. In his blurry vision, Sonic could only see Tails nod back, almost mechanically like a robot.

The next moment, Sonic saw Tails approach him and wrap his hands around his neck, slowly tightening the grip. As time passed, Tails' grip became stronger and stronger until it completely cut off Sonic's airway.

His vision began to fade, his body began to go limp, his mind became blank. In his last moments of consciousness before he fainted, Sonic saw the cold and emotionless face of his best friend looking down at him. Those blank eyes bore into his mind, mocking him with his failure. Even in his fading vision, Sonic could still make out a single tear rolling down the fox's cheek, which only made his heart ache even more than his wounds.

Tails was still there, but not in control. Tails was still alive, but he was dead at the same time. The gentle and kind genius was no more, in his place stood only a servant of the Zeti, who would live and die by their command, all the while aware of the deeds that he committed.

"Goodnight Sonic the hedgehog. When you open your eyes once again, you will join your precious little brother as slaves to the Zeti," Zavok's malicious voice rang in Sonic's ears as darkness slowly lulled him into sleep. The last thing he remembered before fainting was calling Tails' name one last time, his voice full of remorse and anguish.

After that, everything went dark completely.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hehe, I told you this story was short, only 3 chapters. Please read and review. Your opinions matter to me, unless you didn't enjoy the story, in which case, I don't care…JUST KIDDING! :)  
**

**Please give me your honest opinions about the plot, writing, and everything related. I will be eternally grateful for your help. :)**

**The ending may or may not be what you expected it to be, but please enjoy either way. Oh, and by the way, the next chapter of Sonic and the Lords of Pandemonium will be up shortly, with a very nice present hidden inside. **

* * *

Light in the dark

Sonic felt like he was floating inside a thick veil of darkness, unable to open his eyes or move his any part of his body. Everything was still, unmoving. He tried to listen for any sound, but was only greeted by the eerie and almost ominous silence of this strange realm. Was he dead? No he couldn't have been dead. The last thing he remembered was Tails knocking him out, not ending him for good. What exactly happened after that, he didn't know.

The hero of blue tried to force his heavy eyelids open, but found that he couldn't manage that feat. Strange, where did all his strength go? He couldn't tell. However, that wasn't his main concern.

In his mind, the dreadful image of Tails' blank and lifeless eyes staring directly at him kept replaying itself over and over, haunting him and mocking him with his inability to save the one who meant more than the world to him. How the fox's silent yet accusing gaze bore into his own despaired one, and how his fingers, the nimble fingers Tails used to create and invent with all of his passion, wrapped around his neck to cut off his air supply, slowly and painfully. Sonic couldn't take it anymore. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to block the image, but it continued to come, haunting him like an endless nightmare.

"Tails…I'm sorry Tails…" he managed to mutter weakly, like a man who was painfully waiting for his final moments to come, waiting for death to take him away. "It's all my fault…I wasn't…fast enough…"

Sonic spoke to no-one but himself, accusing and tormenting himself with his own failure to save his best friend. He didn't expect to be contradicted, for in his head, Sonic knew that it was the truth, a bitter and harsh truth. In limbo, the fallen hedgehog continued to whisper his apology over and over again, unable to bear the guilt weighing on his already broken heart and soul.

...

"…nic…" a tiny sound echoed within the darkness, tearing through the stillness of the veil and reaching Sonic's ears, making them twitch. That sound, what was it? It was soft, yet so familiar. Where had he heard that before?

"…onic…" it came again, that quiet yet warm sound. So warm, so soft, so gentle and so familiar, but where did it come from?

All of the sudden, the fallen hero found new strength in his body. After an epic struggle, he managed to crack his eyes open and twitched his ears, trying to locate the source of that strange yet comforting noise within this endless darkness.

When he opened his eyes, he saw it. A tiny speck of light right before him. So tiny, so small, yet so bright and so warm. There was something else about this tiny light that comforted his broken mind, it felt so loving and comforting.

"Sonic!" the sound came again, this time in perfect clarity. It was then that Sonic realized it wasn't merely a noise…it was a voice, a voice belonging to someone he was supposed to know. But it couldn't be, could it? It was impossible, it couldn't be **his** voice?

With all of the strength he could muster, Sonic called out to it, shouting the name of the one he thought he had failed to protect.

"TAILS" his voice echoed through the dark abyss, loud and clear.

At that moment, the veil of darkness was lifted; it dissipated and was instantly replaced by a burst of colors. So bright was the new realm that the hedgehog had to cover his eyes to block out the intense colors. Blue and green he was able to make the most. However, they were later joined by another color. Even in his blurry vision, Sonic still recognized it instantly. Gold!

Gold - the warm and comforting color that stood for achievement, abundance, success, elegance, sophistication and value. It was a color that described Tails so well, so perfectly. It fit the fox more than anything with his never-ending quest for knowledge and all he had achieved in his short life.

"Sonic! Wake up!" that voice came again, louder and clearer than ever, forcing the tired and groggy hedgehog to turn his head around and looked at the source.

He almost couldn't believe his eyes. Sitting right in front of him was his best friend Tails, alive, unharmed. The brainwashed Tails back then was also physically unharmed, but he was different. This Tails, this fox sitting in front of him now was his Tails. Sonic could see it clearly in his eyes, which were shinning ever so brightly with the sparkles of life and intelligence, yet at this moment they were filled by a dark cloud of concern and worry. This was the Tails he knew.

"Geez, Sonic, I was afraid you were having a seizure or something when you kept thrashing in your sleep. Are you alrig..." Tails said, but he was cut off in the middle of his rant by a sudden hit.

"TAILS!" Sonic shouted and simultaneously shot up from the bed of grass on which he had been napping right after his adventures in the Lost Hex. In his surprise, Tails was unable to keep his balance and was consequently tackled to the ground with a loud thud. Luckily, the grassy earth was soft, so the genius fox didn't get a concussion, but it stung a bit.

When the pain subsided, he noticed that he was trembling. No, it wasn't his body that was shaking. It was warm, and sunny, why on earth would he be cold. At that moment, Tails' blue eyes traced the peach arms wrapping around him back to the blue figure on top of his form.

"Sonic?" the fox asked, concern clearly visible in his voice. "Sonic? What's wrong?"

"Tails…You're here, you're okay," Sonic managed to choke out. His happiness at seeing his brother okay was so immense that he couldn't prevent his emotions from going wild. His entire body trembled, his eyes moist, his cheek drenched by his own tears. For the first time, he didn't care who saw him cry. Tails was fine, alive and himself. Sonic couldn't ask for anything more than that.

A few seconds later, the hedgehog felt his friend's fluffy hands wrap around him, returning the embrace. Sonic wouldn't admit it, but that embrace was what he so desperately needed, to make sure Tails was okay.

"Don't worry, Sonic," the fox assured the blue blur, his voice soft and gentle as ever. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here, so calm down and relax. It was just a nightmare, nothing more. I'm right here."

The two best friends continued to stay still in the middle of the grassy meadow, with the fox comforting the hedgehog in his emotional anguish. Sonic didn't refuse those comforting touches his brother was giving him. Instead, he welcomed them with all his heart and tightened his grip further, fearing that this moment would be lost as soon as he let go. Tails, knowing his best friend, sat still and let the hedgehog cry his eyes out, let his pain and sadness be washed away by the silent tears he shed.

Neither Tails nor Sonic uttered another word after that, and they would remain so for a long time until Sonic finally recovered from his emotion rollercoaster.

…

An indefinite amount of time had passed since Sonic woke up from his nightmare, and he had finally calmed down thanks to Tails' comforting gestures.

"Are you okay now, Sonic?" Tails asked, still concerned about his friend.

"Yeah, I'm cool. Just needed to release some steam after my night…day-mare, that's all," replied the blue blur with a cheerful tone. Although it was still shaky, but it seemed that the hedgehog was feeling much better already.

"Well, if you can make lame jokes, then I guess you're okay," Tails said with a tiny grin, earning him a playful glare from his friend.

"My jokes aren't lame, mind you," he pouted, making Tails laugh at his facial expression.

"Sorry, I can't take you serious with your eyes being so puffy from crying so much."

"Hey, I wasn't crying," Sonic countered playfully, "I was just sweating after the long journey in the Lost Hex, okay?"

"Through your eyes?" the fox asked with a grin, barely able to contain his urge to burst out laughing. Even when in distress, Sonic insisted on keeping up appearances.

"Yeah, problem?" the blue blur challenged and raised one brow.

"Nope," Tails replied with a slight shake of his head and a smile on his face.

"Uhm, little buddy…"

"Yes,"

"Where are Amy and Knuckles?" Sonic asked as he darted his eyes around to search for the familiar spots of pink and red amidst the green meadow.

"Well, apparently, Knuckles was lifted up and carried into the woods by the Flickies they saved, and Amy ran after them to make sure he wouldn't become a sacrifice for whatever god the Flickies worship…At least that's what I saw in my dream just now. Weird dream, actually. Amy then went on a rampage with her hammer and...you really don't want to know the rest."

"Wow…" was all Sonic could manage.

"Yeah, I know. I still don't understand how I can have that kind of dream in the first place, especially the Flickies part," the fox said as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

At the mention of the word "dream", memories of Sonic's dreadful nightmare flashed in his head, especially the images of Tails being taken away by Zavok and his cold gaze afterwards. They managed to make the brave blue blur shudder, still unable to fully recover from that. It had been a dream, a bad dream, yet it had felt so realistic, and that was what scared Sonic. Could it have been a premonition?

A hand on his shoulder broke him out of his trance and caused him to look at Tails in the eyes. Those blue orbs were once again clouded by concern and worry. So like Tails, always caring for others and being able to pick up their signs of distress. Despite the apparent concern, a tiny smile was present on the genius' face, which instantly made Sonic feel more relaxed and at ease.

"Are you perfectly sure that you're sure you're alright, Sonic?" the fox asked with a soft voice, at the same time trying to lighten up the mood. That question made Sonic chuckle a little. Normally, he was the one to make this kind of questions, not Tails.

"Yeah, buddy, I'm perfectly, 100%, definitely, certainly, absolutely, sure that I'm sure I'm okay," he replied, earning a light-hearted chuckle from his smaller friend as a result.

"Well, if you're sure you're sure…" the fox said humorously. After that, both friends started to laugh and throw their arms around each other's shoulders.

"Come on," Tails said, "It's been a long day already. Let's get you home and hit the hay."

"Okay? Who are you and what have you done with my little brother?" Sonic asked humorously, earning a playful punch on the shoulder, and faked an "ouch". When he looked at his friend, the fox was wearing a fake mask of annoyance, which made him smile even more.

"What? I'm supposed to be the older here," the hedgehog defended playfully.

"Yeah, age does **not** equal maturity. By the looks of things, I have you beat in that department, big bro," Tails said as he turned his head away, pretending to pout.

This action only made Sonic's smile grow wider and wider. His best friend, his brother, his family was okay, and he would do everything in his power to make sure that Tails would stay this way forever.

Leaning close to the fox's big triangular ear, Sonic whispered a soft "Thank you", and Tails returned with another smile that seemed to say, "Any time you need."

On the way back, Sonic never told Tails anything of his nightmare, and the fox never asked. He knew Sonic would tell him when he was ready, and Sonic was truly thankful for his friend's consideration. The trip home on the Tornado was uneventful, but the duo continued to throw playful banters at one another to while away the time, and they reached the destination before they even knew it.

...

Later that night, when it was bed time, Tails snuck into Sonic's bedroom and snuggled up to him, much to the hedgehog's surprise. However, he didn't send the fluffy intruder away. Instead, he smiled and scooted over, making more space for the genius to lie down next to him. Even though he wouldn't admit it out loud, Sonic needed this, and he had a feeling Tails knew that as well, without him saying so.

"Night, Sonic. I'll see you in the morning. And don't you dare snore into my ear, it doesn't help my astraphobia," Tails mumbled teasingly before closing his eyes, falling asleep almost instantly.

"No worry, buddy, I'll be sure to DO that...See you in the morning, Tails. Sweet dreams," the hedgehog replied with a light-hearted chuckle and threw his arm around the now snoozing fox, pulling him into a warm and protective hug.

The two friends would remain in that position for the rest of the night. They managed to fall into a deep and dreamless slumber, free of nightmare now that they had each other to watch the other's back. Silently, Sonic made a vow never to let anything befall his best friend, or any of his friends for that matter. No matter what, he swore he would always be there to save them.

The duo slept soundly through the silent and serene night of the Mystic Ruins with content smiles on their faces…until morning came and Sonic, in his sleepiness, accidentally smacked Tails' head with a loud thud, mistaking him for his annoying ringing alarm clock. The fox, completely woken from his sleep and fearing that an intruder had infiltrated his home, immediately flew out of bed and uncontrollable chaos ensued inside the fox and the hedgehog's shared room, one that involved a lot of crashing and smashing noises, which were soon followed by the resounding laughter of the brotherly duo that could wake up every lifeform within the Mystic Ruins, but that is a story for another time.

THE END

* * *

**Well**, **that was a nice distraction. **

**Okay, time to get back to my main story, only a dozen more chapters to go and then I'll take a short vacation from the whole writing thing for a while. Check out my single ongoing story if you're interested and don't forget to review this one. Thank you so much for your time. Good day to all.  
**


End file.
